Base64 -> Hex Converter

Convert between Base64/Base64URL and Hexadecimal representations.

About Base64 <-> Hex Conversion

This tool facilitates the conversion between Base64 (or Base64URL) encoded strings and their hexadecimal (hex) string representations. Base64 is used to represent binary data in an ASCII string format, while hex is a base-16 representation commonly used in computing to display binary data more compactly than binary itself. This conversion is useful when data needs to be represented in one format for transmission or storage and then interpreted or used in another.

Why Use This Tool?

You might need this tool when dealing with: cryptographic keys or hashes that are sometimes stored or transmitted in Base64 but need to be viewed or used as hex; binary data from network packets or file dumps that needs to be interchangeably represented; or API responses/requests where data format conversions are necessary. It allows for flexible handling of these two common data encoding schemes.

Example Use Cases

  • Converting a Base64 encoded API key to its hex representation for debugging or verification.
  • Taking a hexadecimal hash output from a security tool and encoding it to Base64 for embedding in a JSON or XML document.
  • Inspecting binary data that was first converted to Base64, by decoding it to hex to see the byte values more clearly.
  • Converting a hex-encoded secret from one system to Base64 for use in another system that expects that format.

Pro Tips

  • Base64URL vs. Standard Base64: If your Base64 input uses URL-safe characters ('-' and '_'), ensure the 'Use Base64URL' option is checked. Similarly, if you need a URL-safe output, check this option when converting from hex.
  • Hex Formatting: When converting from Base64 to hex, you can choose the output format (lowercase, uppercase, or uppercase with spaces between bytes) for better readability or to match specific system requirements.
  • Input Validation: The tool validates inputs for correct Base64/Base64URL and hex characters. Ensure your input data is clean; for hex, remove any non-hex characters (like '0x' prefixes or spaces if not converting to Base64).